Map: Purse snatching

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Lisa Haffner, former TV news reporter, current host of the popular 3TV lifestyle show "Your Life a to z" and wife of 3TV helicopter reporter Bruce Haffner, was the victim of a brazen and violent purse snatching on Sunday afternoon.

It happened in the parking lot of the Safeway grocery store at 64th St. and Greenway Pkwy.

"It's an intensive violation that you don't think it's going to happen to you," said Haffner.

Haffner said a man drove up behind her and as she was pushing a shopping cart out of the store he reached out of his vehicle and grabbed her purse.

"He yanked hard enough where I fell, the cart fell, everything went flying to the right and I screamed 'get his license' cause there were tons of people around me and he just sped off," explained Haffner.

"I thought about that girl. I remember the story. It's just not worth it. Take it and run," said Haffner. "In hindsight I'm safe, my kids are safe. I'm not hurt but it could have been so much worse."

There is another powerful lesson to be learned from this frightening ordeal according to Haffner. That is not to carry so much stuff in her purse because she says that has now left her feeling vulnerable and afraid.

"What I've learned and everyone I've talked to is there's no reason to carry our lives in our bags," said Haffner.

She describes the thief as a clean-cut white man in his early 20's, maybe 30's, brown hair, driving a black Cadillac Escalade that was covered with dirt.

Moments before Haffner's purse was stolen that same man apparently also attempted to snatch the purse of another woman at the Fry's grocery store across the street.